AUDIT COMMITTEE AND EARNINGS QUALITY OF LISTED FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRMS IN NIGERIA
This study examines the impact of audit committee attributes on earnings quality of listed financial services firms in Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was employed. The population of the study consists of fifty-seven (57) listed financial services firms on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Fifty (50) financial services firms were chosen as sample size through judgmental sampling technique. Multiple regression analysis and analysis of Variance technique were employed in the analysis of the data collected from the annual reports and accounts of sampled firms over a period of five years (2013-2017). The study finds that audit committee connectedness has significant positive impact on the earnings quality of listed financial services firms in Nigeria. The result of the study also reveal that there is significant difference in the level of earnings quality among various sub-sectors of the listed financial services firms in Nigeria. The study recommends among others that a member of the audit committee should also be a member of another board committee or audit committee of another company so that the experience gained from outside would be brought to bear.
